1. Home
  2. Volkswagen, everything else
  3. TDI Warning light

TDI Warning light

I have a 99.5 Jetta TDI. The past few days I've had one of the warning lights come on. It's the "coil" which comes on in the Winter to show that the diesel fuel is warming up. It goes out when the fuel is warm enough to start the engine.

This week it has come on a couple of times while I was idling at a light. It blinks for a few minutes but then goes out when I'm up to speed.

The owners manual says that it indicates a problem with the engine management system and that it should be checked out by a VW dealer. But the closest VW dealer is about 50 miles away. I'm only using it for short hops right now. I was wondering what this might be. I was thinking if I could narrow it down I might take it to on of the local shops which work on pick up trucks with diesel engines and have them take a look at it.

Anyone out there have an idea what it might be? It has about 116K miles on it. The dealer I used to take it to before I moved worked on it last year. I can't remember the name of the part, but they took something off and soaked in some sort of cleaner to get rid of the carbon build up. I had to leave it with them for about three days to do this.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

David

Reply to
David
Loading thread data ...

got to scan it for fault codes and post them here.

Reply to
Lost In Space/Woodchuck

That's the glow plug operation indicator light you're seeing.

You will need to have the engine computer scanned for faults. Could be a problem with a glow plug or plugs, glow plug harness, or relay.

It was likely your intake manifold being soaked and cleaned, which is unrelated to what you are experiencing now.

Reply to
Madesio

Actually I believe it shows that the glow plugs are activated. They are something like spark plugs in the cylinders, but they glow red hot to help ignite the fuel when the engine is cold.

Most error codes stored by the management system for most years of TDI's can be read my the standard reader that many parts stores have. You need to have the codes read. Some places will read them for FREE. Try Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts. Get the exact code not just their translation into English and post it back here. It likely will have a format like P1234.

That would have likely been an intake. Has the timing belt been replaced? If not you are on borrowed time and when that puppy goes, so goes you engine, right then and there with no warning.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

The timing belt was changed at 100k. No time need be borrowed.

David

Reply to
David

I personally recommend every 60k.

Reply to
Madesio

even if VW says 40K?

Reply to
Lost In Space/Woodchuck

21:31:42 -0700, David

This was the second belt I replaced. I had the first one replaced at about 45K. My understanding is that the belt I have on now is rated to last longer (80 to 100k) than the original belt with which the car was equiped.

David

Reply to
David

VW Normal service table for 99.5 TDI engine is 60k. 2000 year models and later, the timing belt replacement interval was dropped to 40k.

Reply to
Madesio

from what I remember 40 or 60 depends it it's an auto or standard trans. We don't get may TDI's... so things may have changed.

Reply to
Lost In Space/Woodchuck

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.